Reader of the Month: Meet Zovesta!

Every month I like to take a moment to give thanks to the people that make this blog successful and it’s called “Reader of the Month.”

Some people measure success by the number of page views a blog gets. And while that’s important, I also judge the success of this blog by the number of people who leave thoughtful, genuine comments.

It’s about the people who stick around and keep coming back again and again, sometimes for years!

I also judge the success of this blog by the loyal folks who actually take the time to read my posts.

They’re excruciatingly long, I’ll admit! HA!

But that’s because I have so much to say and so much for you to understand, and sometimes that can’t be conveyed in 500 words. LOL

My readers mean everything to me, so I think to take a moment to feature my favorite reader of the month!

This month I chose Zovesta because she has been a loyal reader for about a year. I have no idea where she found me, but I’m glad she did. She leaves such great comments on my posts and I always look forward to hearing from her!

You won’t believe how amazing she is. Keep reading to find out!

Where Do You Live?

“I live out in the country in southern Iowa, where the nearest Walmart or Menards/Lowe’s/Home Depot is nearly an hour away and my closest neighbors are cornfields. Fortunately, we do have a small hardware store ten minutes away that I only discovered a few weeks ago!”

How long have you been thrift diving and loving junk? Share with us your earliest memories of thrift stores and how you learned to love them.

“Hmm, that’s hard. I’ve been shopping at thrift stores my whole life. We’ve never been a wealthy family, so all of our home furnishings and clothes have come from the ‘big name’ thrift stores: Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul mostly, as we all find Goodwill too expensive!

When I was maybe 11, we went to a local thrift store that was about as big as a large living room, painted a very dated warm tan, with dim lighting and narrow aisles you could barely squeeze through, and tall shelves stuffed with ceramic decorations. It had mostly knick knacks and old magazines (some dating from the 1940s and earlier). It’s since gone out of business, but I remember it having an almost dream-like quality. That was my first impression of a thrift store as a treasure trove rather than just another boring store, and I’ve been in love with all thrift stores since!”

What’s your most prized possession you ever bought from the thrift store?

“Heh, probably my ‘Star Trek’ dress, which is a sort of black minidress with a high collar and long, billowy, sheer sleeves. It looks just like something someone from the original Star Trek series would wear, hence why I started calling it that!

For furniture, though, I’m very fond of this 1960s dresser I found. I think it was 1964? I still have the original tag around someplace. I picked it out maybe 3 or more years ago and fell in love instantly. Although we saw a lot of other dressers at the thrift stores, this was the one I absolutely insisted on and wouldn’t budge. I don’t remember it costing a lot–maybe $40–and it was in great condition, a giant at about four feet across, with a sort of greige laminate all over it, and one stuck drawer. I ended up painting it and fixing the drawer, so now it serves as storage for my makeup, bathroom supplies, underwear, out of season clothes, etc.

BEFORE

AFTER!

What’s the most expensive thing you ever bought from the thrift store?

I’m pretty sure the aforementioned dresser was the only thing I’ve brought home from the thrift store that’s cost more than $30. 🙂

What’s the DIY or craft project of which you’re most proud?

“Depends. I did a down-to-the-studs remodel of my bedroom (which also served as the storage room), finishing up just earlier this year, which is easily the project I’ve been most proud of!

I ripped down the old, uninsulated plaster and lathe, put in new insulation, put up new drywall, insulated the pipes (the shower was sitting free right in my bedroom, a wall had never been put up to cover it, so I did!), put down a hardboard subfloor to help level the uneven floors, leveled my floor with concrete, cut plywood into planks and installed that as a floor, repaired my rotted windowsill and leaking window, installed trim, and then built a platform bed. 🙂

It was a pretty big project for someone who had never done anything more with a hammer than put up a picture!”

BEFORE

AFTER!

BEFORE

AFTER!

“But, if you mean an individual project… probably this little light I built. It’s one of the simplest things out there, nothing fancy, but I am very proud of it since I didn’t rely on any plans, I just saw a light I liked online and tried to build one like it. It’s not professional, and it’s not perfect, but I like it.”

Why do you like reading Thrift Diving and how long have you been reading? What are your favorite types of posts or projects on the blog?

“About a year, but I could be a bit off. I’ve been hooked on Thrift Diving ever since I started reading it! I love Serena’s enthusiasm and friendly tone that comes out in every post, and I love the dedication to making her blog quality. Most of all, I love how she shares what she learns and teaches new skills and tips all the time!

I follow a few dozen blogs, but skim through most of them because the content seems so fluffy and superficial–I always set aside time to read Thrift Diving because I know there will be content with substance!

I just finished a light remodel of the living room, and followed Serena’s tutorial on patching drywall to patch five large gaps. 🙂 I think my favorite posts are the reno [renovation] tutorials, but I’m really enjoying the woodworking series she’s doing now. I’ll eat up any post that’s about an ‘intimidating’ subject like plumbing, drywall, electrical, concrete, woodworking, power tools, etc!”

What other DIY blogs do you like to read? Are there other blogs that you love to read outside of the DIY niche?

“Like I said, I follow a few dozen blogs, but for most of the DIY ones I just skim and look at the pictures. The few I really set aside time to read are:

ScienceDaily (news in science, I especially like the astronomy section).”

What DIY or crafting tips do you have for others?

“Three tips: There are few traits as self-destructive as impulsiveness. Instead of spending a weekend trying to fix a project you’re knee deep in, spend an hour learning what to do, how to do it exactly, and if it’s the best option available! You can never know too much.

Second: Perfectionism will paralyze you. Just do your best and learn what you can from each project. Sometimes our best isn’t perfect, and that’s OK.

And finally: Don’t get futzed up over details. It’s easy to see a plethora of gorgeous homes and fun crafts on Pinterest, to the point where you feel like every single thing in your home needs to be handcrafted to perfection, and every surface must be covered. Step back, look at your home, and squint your eyes. Focus on the big picture! You don’t need a mantle setting for each season, but you do need a solid roof, windows that aren’t rotted, insulated walls, doors that work, and some sort of flooring. If you’re worried about not having a handmade wreath while you ignore a faulty and dangerous outlet, you’re not prioritizing right. Sometimes you just need to live in your house and let it be a house, not a photo prop.”

Serena’s Thoughts on Zovesta….

Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’m blown away by Zovesta! The fact that she has never done any major DIY, but yet somehow taught herself how to gut her bedroom and turn it into a gorgeous, pink Retro room that makes my heart happy, is downright amazing! Hats off to you, Zovesta! Keep going, girl.

And her wise DIY advice about prioritizing what needs to be done in your home is sooooo true! I have been making this mistake myself. I’m pretty sure there are some bigger fish to fry in my home than what I have been working on. This might be a good topic for an upcoming post about figuring out what’s priority in your home. Thanks for that valuable advice, Zovesta!

I Sent Zovesta My Famous “Fred Sanford” Tee-Shirt!

For each reader that I feature, I like to send them a little “Thank You” gift for taking the time to give such thoughtful answers for their feature. I’m sending Zovesta one of my Thrift Diving “I Love Junk More Than Fred Sanford” tees! 🙂

Comments

Zovesta!!! I just LOVED seeing your room makeover and hearing ALL about your thrifting escapades. Your $40 dresser turned out charming and compliments your room beautifully – figures I focus in on the furniture makeover right. 😉 CONGRATS on being reader of the month! I can see why Serena included you. I, like Serena always look forward to your thoughtful and interesting comments and points of view. Great quote btw. Hugs xo

(hey Serena!) Brilliant idea having a reader of the month… why didn’t I think of that?…lol) xo

Catching up on lots of little things today, and this one big thing–Congratulations, Zovesta, on a beautiful job! And I, too, really love how you made the room “you” with your color scheme and style. I believe you and Serena are so right about our home showing our personality. We are usually so careful with our clothing style and how we present ourselves to the world that way, but I think it’s just as important for our homes to reflect who we are, too. That’s one of my biggest frustrations (and part of my ongoing journey as a widow) since I rent. How do I reflect my personality when there are so many things I can’t change. But slowly, I am choosing/replacing furniture, colors, styles, etc., etc., and making my homes my own. I’m always so encouraged when I see beautiful examples like yours; it helps me keep doing the things that I can and letting the rest go. I loved your 3 tips, and especially what you said about your lamp, “It’s not professional, and it’s not perfect, but I like it.” That, to me, is the most important part of the whole DIY/remodeling/decorating process. Love what you do! Learning doesn’t happen in a moment, but if we are happy with our progress and enjoy our results as we go, the learning comes in due process of time. I love Serena and what she does/shares and I’m also looking forward to hearing more about your projects in the future. Keep rockin’!

Zovesra, I actually did a little inside my head moan when I read “Hollywood Glamour” , but then I saw your after pictures and regretted everything that I have ever thought about that style! Wow, I love your room from top to bottom and from every side! “Nothing more than 30 dollars, down to the studs, and a simple light”, and you’re only a beginner? You are kidding, right! I think you’ve found a real hidden talent. What a great job.